Mike Abraham has been closely following the Beaver Pond Forest issue in Kanata and rallying troops in support of saving the Forest over the last 6 months or so. City council votes on Marianne Wilkinson's motion to consider purchasing the Forest from the developers who own it. The Forest is a key biodiversity corridor, which means flora and fauna both live in and move through this area to other refuges amidst out sprawling development. Destroying this natural endowment would be a loss for this generation and those to come, not to mention untold animals presently living there; this isn't just about what's good for us. Lets follow Mike's lead and email the councillors listed below, urging them to do the right thing: SAVE the POND.
Larry.OBrien@ottawa.ca ; Georges.Bedard@ottawa.ca ; Michel.Bellemare@ottawa.ca ; Rainer.Bloess@ottawa.ca ; Glenn.Brooks@ottawa.ca ; Rick.Chiarelli@ottawa.ca ; Alex.Cullen@ottawa.ca ; Diane.Deans@ottawa.ca ; Steve.Desroches@ottawa.ca ; Clive.Doucet@ottawa.ca ; Eli.El-Chantiry@ottawa.ca ; Peggy.Feltmate@ottawa.ca ; Jan.Harder@ottawa.ca ; Diane.Holmes@ottawa.ca ; Peter.Hume@ottawa.ca ; Gord.Hunter@ottawa.ca ; Rob.Jellett@ottawa.ca ; Kitchissippi@ottawa.ca ; Jacques.Legendre@ottawa.ca ; Maria.Mcrae@ottawa.ca ; Bob.Monette@ottawa.ca ; Shad.Qadri@ottawa.ca ; Doug.Thompson@ottawa.ca ; Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca
Mr. Cullen and Mr. Doucet, thank you for supporting Ms. Wilkinson's motion to consider the purchase of Beaver Pond Forest. To Mr. O'Brien, and others who do not support this initiative, I can assure you that it will cost you votes in the upcoming municipal elections.
This cherished land is a natural endowment we are responsible to steward for the benefit of future generations (remember what sustainable developments is?), and highly important to the vibrancy and health of our community. Don't let the Forest be destroyed on your watch.
Please consider this motion and the citizens who support it when you vote.
Regards,
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4 comments:
why the hell doesn't Larry want to support this motion?
does he plan to build his Calian empire on top of it or what?
business talks with this guy!
fck we sell canada off short. I swear most business people would sell their body for the sake of a quick buck.
this land should be cherished, admired, and respected.
If we want concrete, then we might as well move to some sht hole like TO or Montreal... sht holes.
sent out my email:
Folks,
It has been reported that a motion goes out to save the Beaver Pond in Kanata.
I realize that the housing business can't get enough and more building
& buldozing is about to occur without regard for the habitat in the
area, without regards for residents that have been using this land for
many many years, and without much regard for the jewel that it truly
provides. Any city can create a concrete jungle. Just look at the
mess of Toronto and Montreal. Yuk!
Do we want the same! Why!
Money can be made any place on this planet. To truly have something
unique as Kanata has with this forested area is truly remarkable.
This of course, takes people fighting for what the love. I realize
that a lot of people just love money and hence the "don't care state"
we seem to be in.
Just build build build!
Anyhow, hopefully, these builders can give a bit of "good will" in
their balance sheets and give some of this land up. Not only does it
keep Kanata unique and a sales-pitch for Kanata (eg "look at the vast
forest space just behind your door!"), but it offers up a recreational
area for the people of Ottawa. Ottawa should put this in the books
like any other recreational facility - as an asset without
depreciation!
(no need for millions of dollars to maintain it!)
Hopefully, we'll put our "smart hats on" and save this unique forested
area. For once its gone... its gone.
If we wanted a concrete jungle, we might as well just move to some big
city and face the criminal elements that come with it.
I surely hope we don't go this route...
Damn, I hope not.
This forest offers up:
1) a place to retreat without the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle
2) a place for habitat (animals) to survive and strive
3) a place for recreation to flurish, hence reducing health care costs
4) a place for kids to learn about nature
5) a place to admire (will actually increase the value of Kanata as it
is a jewel... what are you going to advertise Kanata as if you tear
this forested area down "come live in Kanata, the concrete jungle you
so admire")
6) a place for companies to offer up lunch time recreational activites
(eg jogging clubs)
7) a place for people to get away and think (who knows how many great
ideas came out from after work get aways were taken to open up the
mind)
etc...
consider it or waste it away for a few quick bucks made by select few people...
I will be asking though, have we sold canada short! if we do start
building over this prestine area.
We lost it.
Matt - thanks for your great post. Please feel free to add this post in the comments on http://beaverpondpledge.ca
This situation sucks. I'm sorry to say it sounds like they are way too far along in the process. If the planning is in place then the expropriation price from the developers would be frickin huge. Crazy huge. With zoning, all of the financial risk is gone for the developers. They aren't going to part with the land for less than top dollar. True developer "good will" doesn't exist. If it can be developed it will be.
The big issue is how these lands got zoned for development in the first place. Historic zoning can be rolled back, but you need loads of support from council and the right timing.
The province started moving away from "islands of green" planning ~15 years ago. It seems like the City is still stuck in 1994. With no regional context for features like Beaver Pond, the arguement to save or destroy it is only focussed on the feature itself - no useful discussion on connectivity or overall natural cover.
People should be freaking out over this - http://spacingottawa.ca/2010/08/31/should-greening-landsdowne-mean-paving-the-greenbelt/
I'm not sure how they got this through the planning act - but it's ridiculous. How do you have "no negative impact" on the forest by cutting it down?
I hope I'm wrong about Beaver Pond... learn from this mistake by the City. There must be other lands with historic planning rights you can push for at a much earlier stage.
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